Illinois NOW for Clinton, with a swipe at Obama

The biting attacks between the Democratic candidates for president are now extending to the very constituencies likely to have worked with and supported all of them at one time or another.

Today, Illinois NOW endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton for president.

"She is, after all, our native sister," said Bonnie Grabenhofer, president of
Illinois NOW in a statement on the group's website. "We know from her record and in her heart she will be there for us."

But Illinois NOW was not content to leave it at that. Grabenhofer also took a serious swipe at Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), denigrating his record on women's rights in the state Senate.

"When we needed someone to take a stand, Senator Obama took a pass," said Grabenhofer, criticizing him for voting 'present' on many key votes. "He wasn't there for us then and we don't expect him to be now."

That, say other advocates of women's rights, is unfair and unfortunate.

"There's never been a problem with Sen. Obama. It's really a shame," said Lorna Brett, a Clinton supporter and former president of Chicago NOW.

Brett and other women's rights and abortion rights advocates say they often asked lawmakers to vote present as part of a larger legislative strategy.

"In this case, I think both candidates are committed to choice and I hate to see the pro-choice community cannibalize itself on this issue,'' said Brett. "If either candidate wins, the pro-choice community is in good hands."

Steve Trombley, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood/Chicago Action, said there's a reason his organization has endorsed Obama throughout his political career.

"Senator Obama has been a consistent supporter of reproductive rights while in the legislature and we worked closely with him in developing and implementing legislative strategies to protect the rights of women in Illinois."

The point is in the record. Yes, Planned Parenthood thought of the strategy but then they also wrote and introduced a parental notification bill this year. Not exactly leaders for women's rights. Obama did vote present several times and explained it as an effort to help those who might be hurt by a no vote. Lorna Brett, a former local NOW chapter president from the 1990's, certainly knows that he didn't need to take that vote. She also knows that NOW has never supported such a strategy and if she worked with Planned Parenthood on it she did so for her own reasons against the policy of the state and national organizations.
Here's an even better explanation from the Chicago Tribune: Sen. Obama’s explanation for 'present' votes is questionable; 'few of the other Democrats who voted ‘present’ on abortion bills recall such a strategy' as Sen. Obama did. Sen. Obama "said he worked out an arrangement with abortion-rights advocates to encourage Democrats to vote ‘present’ on some bills if they feared a ‘no’ would look insensitive and endanger their re-election. But few of the other Democrats who voted ‘present’ on abortion bills recall such a strategy. And, like Obama, they weren't politically vulnerable." [Chicago Tribune, 05/03/07]
This is about a presidential election. The idea that a coalition of pro-choice voters must somehow stick together no matter what is somewhat old fashioned. The pro-choice community I know has room for many opionions and no tolerance for shutting people up as both Steve and Lorna try to do.
Go Hillary!

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